Exploding Chipmunks Bloodily Remind You of the Dangers of Dodgy Electronics

Black market turns red

Here's one for the file on unexpected PSAs: Exploding chipmunks that warn you against purchasing bootleg electrical goods. U.K. charity Electric Safety Council is using a gruesome, two-minute mock documentary to push Christmas shoppers to buy "genuine goods" that are less likely to cause violent electrical fires. It's fun, if a bit of a head-scratcher—begging for attention by striking the right mix of stupidity and shock value (yes, we're taking the bait) but also trivializing the cause it's meant to spotlight by making the punch line so absurd. Yes, the group needs people not to ignore an easily overlooked problem, but it also needs them to take it seriously. Then again, maybe it'll get lucky and draw fire from PETA—the kind of charity troll that's able to make an exploding-rodent tactic look sane by comparison. Agency: Code Computerlove. Via The Drum.